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VASL LOS
VASL 6.0 features automatic LOS checking, courtesy of David Sullivan. You may enable or disable LOS checking in the "LOS" tab of the preferences. See below for supported features and limitations.
NOTE: The LOS engine is provided as an aid to players when checking LOS. It does not purport to be the definitive authority on the LOS rules. Players should apply common sense and override the results if appropriate.
After pressing the LOS button, left click the mouse in any hex (the "source" hex) and drag the mouse to any other hex (the "target" hex) to check the LOS. You may select the highest location in a hex by holding the control key (Ctrl) down when clicking or dragging the mouse. If the mouse pointer is not in the center of a hex, the LOS will be checked to/from the nearest hex spine (The 'Snap thread to grid' preference is ignored when LOS checking is enabled). The last LOS checked remains displayed on the screen as long as VASL is in LOS mode. Note that if the 'Retain LOS-hindrance counters' preference is yes (checked), the hindrance counters that remain on the screen during the LOS check WILL affect the results.
The LOS thread uses three different colors: a basic thread color, a hindrance color, and a blocked color, all of which are customizable in the Edit Properties dialog. The LOS thread starts with the basic color, indicating a clear LOS, changes to the hindrance color at the point of the first hindrance, and then changes to the blocked color at the point where the LOS is blocked.
If the "Verbose LOS Mode" preference box is checked, text messages closest to the source and target locations will display the name and elevation of the locations. A second text message, near the target location, will display the range and the result of the LOS check. If the LOS is clear, but hindrances where detected, the number of hindrances will be given. If the LOS is blocked, the hex where it is blocked and the reason will be shown.
While the LOS is visible, you may move the source and target locations up and down within the hex using these keystrokes:
| Keystroke | Moves< |
| Up arrow | Move the target location up |
| Down arrow | Move the target location down |
| Ctrl+Up arrow | Move the source location up |
| Ctrl+Down arrow | Move the source location down |
If no locations exist above or below the current one, the keystroke is ignored.
The following feature are supported by the LOS engine:
- The default (ETO) board terrain
- Cropping and flipping boards. Note that boards must be cropped to half hexes.
- Boards 1-66 (sans board 25) have LOS information.
- ETO SSR transformations available in the VASL board picker with the exception of changing orchards to shell holes or crags and changing shell holes to crags or orchards
The following game counters are detected by the LOS engine and affect the results accordingly:
- SMOKE, including blaze and burning building counters
- Rubble
- OBA FFE
- Vehicles and wrecks
The following features are NOT supported by the LOS engine.
- PTO and DTO terrain
- Overlays, including draggable and scenario-specific overlays
- All boards not listed above
Note that the LOS engine silently turns off if you use any unsupported option. If you're curious as to why the reason is written to the VASSAL log file.
The LOS engine does not enforce the requirement that terrain be visible on both sides on the LOS thread. Instead, the LOS will be blocked/hindered if the LOS thread passes over (touches) an obstacle. Players should agreed before hand on which method they will use.
SSR transformations are "sticky." If you convert grain to open ground you can't go back into the board picker and change grain to brush. The work-around is to pick the boards again and apply the desired transformation.
Hindrances along continuous slope are not detected.
Board configurations where two half-hexes containing unlike terrain types are ajoined will give unexpected results in those hexes. For example board 08 contains orchards half hexes that might be butted up against open ground.